Drifting device for locomotives.



E- G. BERDAN? "DRIFTING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVES. APPLICATVIO'N HLED aov.23.1915! Patented Apr; 4,1916.

EDWARD a. Banana, or CHIGAGmILLINOIS;

' DRIETING DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. Banner [a citizen of theiUnited States,residing at Chicago,in the county ofCook and State of Illinois,haveinvented certain new" and useful Improvements in DriftingDevices forLocomotives, of which the following is I a specification.

My invention relates to drifting devices,

lo and; is particularly, (although not eXclu-j 'sively) adapted forsupplying with steam the cylinders of locomotives when thelatter aredrifting. p

- In engines such as locoriiotives the lubri-v cation of' the pistonswhich reciprocate within the cylinders is providedfor,under ordinaryoperating conditions by oil and by; the steam itself which entersthecylin- 'ders for the purpose of driving. the pistons.

In the best; practice of locomotive operation thesteam which. passes tothe cylinders is superheated, whereby its temperature and 4:01a (but notits pressure)v are greatly i -increased, {thereby resulting in increased26,-;economy' of operation. lVhen the main supm fply of steam is cut011' from the cylinders,

a locomotivewill still continue to run by its own inertia. Thiscondition, which also takes place in coasting, is the so-called 1 .0drift-ing. n will be evident that in drift l ring, inasmuch as steam isnot being sup-.

fiplied to thecylinders to assist in their lubri- "catiomthefriction ofthe pistons will rap- ;iidly:cause a rise in temperature, wear on the 1=parts, and carbonization of the cylinder; oil,

with very deleterious results, while at the same timethe cushioningeffect afforded by the steam under normal conditions is, eliminated,with consequent danger of accif dent. This condition is accentuated whensuperheated steam of high temperature has been used in the cylindersbefore drifting takes place.

f It is the objectgof my invention to provide a device which will serveto automatically admit steam, preferably. saturated, to the cylinderswhen drifting takesplace, thereby "serving to lubricate and cushion thepistons ,within the cylinders and to prevent the disadvantages whicliresult. as pointed out above, -when no adequate lubrication of thecylinders takes place during this period.

It is a further object of my inventionto interrupt the auxiliary ordrifting. steam supply to the cylinders when the speedof the locomotivefalls below a. predetermined Specification of Letters Batcnt.

Patented Apr. 4, 191$.

" Application filed November 23, 1915. Serial No. 62,971.

minimum, thereby avoiding waste of steam when the lOCOlIlOtWQ. is atrest or when it is running at low, speed, .when it is unneces sary tosupply drifting steam.

Stated 1n generalv terms, my invention consists of a ,diiierentialpiston valve which,

under normal conditions, when steam is beingsnpplied to the-cylindersthroughftlie main steam inlets", is, closed, but which is automaticallyopened. when the pressure witliinthe cylinders falls below apredetermined minimum, whereby auxiliary or drifting steam is suppliedto the cylinders. The actuation of the differential 'piston dependsonthemaintenance of a secondary communication between the cylinder ofthe differential piston and the main operating cylinders of thelocomotive. This secondary communication remains open when the speed ofthe locomotive is above a precis termined minimum by the actuation of aspeedfvalve, which is operated by any suitable .device,as, for example,a. pump, which,

in turn, is operated from one of the axles or other suitable operatingpart of the locomotive, so that as long as the locomotive is running inexcess of the predeterminedminimum. speed the speed valve remains open,while if thespeed falls below said piston valve closes communicationbetween the source of steam and the locomotive cyl .inders. These andother advantages of my, invention will be more readily understood byreference to the accomp'anyingv drawings,

which show a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in' which--Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the front portion of alocomotive, showing my drifting device as applied thereto;

and Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the mainoperating parts of my device.

The. locomotive diagrammatically represented in Fig. 1 is ofthewell-know'n construction. The main steam supply pipe 10 leads fromthe boiler 11 to'the distributing "valve chest 12, which contains anysuitable type, of distributing valve serving to estab'lish communicationand to supply steam fromthe main steam supply pipe; 10 to the cylinder13 within which the main operatminimum the speedvalveiscloseth therebycausing the differential pistonto return to v, its normal posit on, inwhich the differentialing piston, of well-known'construction, re-

ciprocates. The steam which is supplied-to of the delivery'pipe 25 willbe uncovered the main steam supply pipe 10 may be drawn directly fromthe dome 14; oi the Toy cylinder 16, which consists of a circular-P tion17, an intermediate portion Y18, and a circular-portion 19 of greaterdiameter than the portion 17. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the auxiliarysteam pipe 15 enters the differential cylinder at its intermediateportion 18. 3

A differential piston is contained Within the diiferential cylinder 16,and consists of the piston head 20 adapted to reciprocate within theportion 17 and piston head 21, of greater diameter than the piston head20, and adapted to reciprocate Within the portion 19 and the piston rods22 and 23, which serve to connect the piston heads 20 and 21,respectively, With the diderential piston valve 24. which serves tonormally close the end of the delivery pipe 25 lead ing from theintermediate portion 18 of the differential. cylinder 16 to thedistributing valve chest 12. It will be evident that if the connectedpiston heads 20 and 21 are moved to the left from the position shown inFig. 2, the differential piston valve 2-i'w-ill also be moved to theleft, whereby the end and communication thus established through thedifferential cylinder 16 between the auxiliary steam pipe 15 and thedelivery pipe 25.

The end of the portion 17 of thedifi'erential' cylinder 16 is closed bythe cylinder head 26 containing the vent 27. the purpose of which istoprevent cushioning between the piston head 20 and the cylinder head26, and to also act as a tell-tale for the leakage of steam past thepiston head 20. The piston head 21 is provided with the port 28, whichserves to establish communication between opposite sides of this pistonhead The portion 19of the'difi'eren-v tial cylinder is closed at itsouter end by the cylinder head 29, from which the pipe 30 leads tothe'upper end of the valve casing 31 of the speed valve 32. The pipe 33leads from the upper portion of the valve casing 31 to the distributingvalve chest 12. When the speed valve 32 is seated, as represented inFig. 2, it will be evident that communication between pipes 30 and 33 isinterrupted.

The speed valve 32 is provided wlth a valve stem 34:, which passesthrough the bushing 35 permanently located in the lower portion of thevalve casing 31. At the lower end of the valve stem 34 is the pistonhead 36 adapted to reciprocate W1thin the cylinder 37 located Within thepump 38. A

helical sprihgBQ is located between the valve 32 and the bushing 35, andserves to nor-' mally hold the valve 32 seated .A port- 40 leads to thecylinder 37, Within the pump 33. V hen the pump 38 is operated throughthe. instrumentality of the pulley &1, oil or other fluid is forcedthrough the port ill intothe cylinder 37, and. according to the:

speed at which the pulley is rotated the pressure of fluid within thecylinder 37 .cor-

respondingly varies, and therebyvaries the distance which-the pistonhead 36 is moved by the pressure of this fluid against" the tension ofthe spring 39. Thepulley 21 is chnnected through a' suitable belt 4:2with one of the axles as of the locomotive. It

Will b8 apparent that when the speed of the locomotive exceeds apredetermined nrlni-=- mum the pressure of fluid Within the (13 1-;inder 3? iv11l be sulhcient tomove the piston head 36sntiic'iently sothat the valve. 32 is correspondingly unseated to a sufiicient BX? tentto atiord communication between the pipes 30 and I have described awell-known form of pump serving as actuating means for the speed valve32, but it will be apparent ito those skilled in the art that :anyvothersuitable device which serves to actuate the valve when the speed ofthelocomotive ex coeds apredetermined minimum may read-3 ily be used.

By changing the ratio of the pulley 41 to the axle 4:3, or by changing;the tension of the spring 31, it will be apparent that the predeterminedminimum speed at which the valve 32 is unseated and c mmunication .1between pipes 30 and 33 estabhsheimay be I varied as desired. Inpractical operation I have found that satisfactory results are:

obtained when the valve 32 is moved. to establish communication betweenpipes 30 and c 33 when the speed of the locomotive exceeds operation ofthe same may now be readily understood. 1

When the locomotive is running under normal conditions withopenthrottle, steam, preferably superheated to a temperature of 500? to600 Fahrenheit and usually of a pressure of approximately 175 pounds persquare inch passesthrough the steam supply pipe 10 into the distributingvalve chest 12; from which it is delivered to the cylinder 13,

according to the well-known system. The

pressure within the steamchest 12Willire-v main substantially the sameas boiler press sure. This steam when introduced into the cylinder ofcourse expands, and serves; to

drivelthe piston, During its expansion. the

pressure of course decreases and the term 1 perature of the steam. iscorrespondingly through the port 28 of thepiston head 21 into theportion 19 of the difi'erentialxcylinder, a nd pressure is therebyexertedon the.

piston head 21, which is of larger size than the piston head 20, so thatthe difi'erential piston is moved into the position shown in Fig. 2,thereby bringing the differential piston valve 24 over the end of thedelivery Y pipe so that no steam can flow from the auxiliary steam pipe15 through the delivery I pipe 25. If the locomotive is running at aspeed greater than a predetermined minimum, as, for example, five milesper hour,

Ication with each other. Since pipe "33 is connected with thedistributing valve chest- 12, and the pressurein the latter issubstantially boiler pressure, no steam can flow from ing valve phest.On the other hand, a-con.-, dition of equilibrium is maintained, and thediflerential piston having the two piston heads 20 and 21 remains in thepositionshown in Fig.2. When the throttle is closed and.

the supply of steam normally flowing through the steam supply pipe10,130 the distributing valve chest 12"is cut off, and the locomotive isallowed to drift, it will be evident that the pressure within thedistribut-. ing valyechest 12 will rapidly decrease and a vacuum will beformed, correspondingly,

reducing the pressure'within the cylinder 13.

5 and" forming a vacuum there-in since no additional steam is beingsupplied from themain steam supply pipe 10. If this condition wereuncorrected, friction of the parts would rapidly cause heating, wear,and-carbonizationof the cylinder oil. In addition, the

lack of steam in the cylinder 13 would eliminate the cushioningeifectwhich is pb tained when steam is present in the cylinder. 'After thepressure in the distributing valve chest 12 has been reduced, andassuming thatthe locomotive is drifting at a suiiicientspeed so that thespeed valve 32 remains open, steam will flow from the portion 19 of thedifierential cylinder 16 through pipes 30 and 33 to the distributingvalve chest, thereby reducing the pressure in the portion 19 of thedifierential cyli der. Since this pressure is reduced more ra idly thanit can be built up bythe flow of ste m through the port 28, 5 thepressure of steang to the right of the Dis.

' the speed valve 32 is unse ated so that thepipes 30 and 33 are broughtinto communithe portion 19 of the difierent'ial cylinder 16;, 7 throughthepipes 30 and 33 to the distributr'."

"ders 13;v

tonhead 21, as indicated Fig. 2,, will cause the differential piston tobe moved to the 7 left, thereby unseating the differential pis ton valve2 1 from the end of the delivery pipe ,25. Saturated steam will thenflow {0 from the auxiliary steampipe 15 through I the portion of thediiferential cylinder 16' between the-.;piston headsQ2O and 21, andthenceinto the delivery pipe 25', from which it passesjnto the steamsupply pipe 10 and]? thencetofithe distributing valve chest 12;

From thispoint the steam is carried into i the eylinder 13, andserves'tofilubricate and; cushion thepiston withinthe latter. It willbefevident that the stearnadmitted to the' 80 distributing .valve chest'12 shouldnot be of a' sufficient-amount to raise the pressure in thelatter to such a point thatthis steam on its expansion within the"cylinder 13 should serve to drive the main operating piston; '85.

otherwise, the locomotive would be driven in 1 the same manner as thoughthe throttle had remained open, the steam merely being in- .troducedinto the distributing valve chest through another course. i As ,a matterof practice I have found that under ordinary circumstances when thesteam pressure within the distributing valve chest 12 does not exceed 25pounds per square inch, this steam has no practical eflect as a means ofdriving 1 the main'operating pistons within the'cylin- I .In'order toinsure the maintenance of steam pressure, 1n the distributing valve;

chestrl2 below a predetermined maximum,

as, for-example, 25 pounds per square inch, the relations in sizebetweenthe piston-heads 20 and 21 are such that when the", pressurewithin the distributing valve chest ex ceedsthe predetermined maximum,this pres sure, being conununicatedithrcugh the pipes .3 and 30' to theiportiqn 19.,0f the dif 1;

ferential. cylinder 20, 4 serves to move the pistoni head 21,t0 theright, accord-- to the representation sho' 'gn, in Fig. 2,. therebycausingthe diflt'erntial' piston valve'24: .to either partially orwholly cover thedelivery pipe 25, softhat the amount of steam .fiowingthrough the delivery pipe 25 to*'the steam supply pipe 10 is decreased1151 i I until the pressure within the. distributing valve' chest 12 isagain brought below the "g .predeterminedm'aximum; It will be evident"that when the locomotive is drifting at high; speed a much greateramount of steam will be required in the distributing valve chest 1.2order to afford roper lubrication :of? the cylinder 13. I It is meansofthe a v matic feature which I have-just describe whereby the pressure ofsteam within' the 1'26 distributingvalve chest 12 is always kept belowthe predetermined maximum, while 1 at the same'tim'e a suflicient amountof steam is allowed to flow to the distributing valve chest 12 in orderto afford proper lubriczp. 18 0 tion, that proper and satisfactoryresults are obtainedfor all speeds of drifting. When the speed ofthelocomotive falls below a predetermined minimum, as, for

example, five miles per hour, the valve 32 becomes seated," andcommunication between pipes 30 and 33 is interrupted. By the flow ofsteam through the port 28 from the righthand side of'the piston head '21to the left the pressure on opposite sides of this piston headisaequalized, and the latter is thereby moved into the position shown inFig; 2,

[so that the differential pistonivalve :His, br0ntg1l11tto its normal;seated position and.

pipe 25 is "stopped. As previouslyy stated, 7

when the locomotive is" running atv a speed below a predeterminedminimum of five miles, for example, the lubrication of the 'cylinder 13becomes unnecessary, and by shutting off the supplyof auxiliary ordrifting steam to the distributing valve ,ihest .when'the'speed is belowthis predetern-lined minimum, the danger of wasting thesteam when thelocomotive is at rest is avoided.

the foregoing description of'my improved: idrifting'device I hayementioned thesame as being applied toonly one side of the locomotive. Itwill be apparent that the'lubrication afforded by the auxiliary ordrifting steam should be applied to the cyl-. inders located on eachside of the locomotive and this result may be attained by a dupl'cationof m drifting device, 01- by the provision of! suitable connecting pipesextending from the delivery pipe 25 and the pipe33 to the steam supplypipe 10 and the distributing. valve chest '12, respectively,

located on the opposite side of the locomo h ,i V I v I t will beapparent to those skilled in the art that'many changes could be made inthe detailed construction of the parts which I -forf o enin said valvemeans when the i 0 b a a I a A pressure in said eng ne cylmder is belowa j predetermined minimum, and means for counter-acting the action ofsaid opening sp' it orscope of my invention, as defined in means whenthe. speed of said engine is be low a predetermined minimum, whereby;said valve means will be closed. 6'0

2-; Adi-lifting device tor locomotives com: prising, incombinationpivith a cylinder, a" distributing valve chest therefor and amain steam supply pipe leading to said :chest, a' dili'erential cylinderhaving a differentialpiston adapted to operate therein,- an auxiliarysteam supply pipe leading to said; differential cylinder,- a deliverypipe. coma municating with said'sdifierential cylinder-a and said,distributingwalye chest,: a ova-lye operated by saitldifit'erentialpiston, said. valve normally closingisaidx delivery pipe it and thereby;interruptinge'communicatirin p, between said auxiliaryf'steain supplypipeand said delivery ipe, n'ieans foractuating 7-5 1 said diflerential'piston and opening. said. valvewhen the pressure in said-distributing.valve chest falls below a. predetermined minimum, and means forcounter-actingi-the-i action of said actuating. means when .theeo speedof said locomotive falls-below? a pre? determined minimum, whereby said:dif-' ferential piston will move to its: i normal position and saidvalve ivill close saidde livery pipe. i 1-35.: A drifting deviceforilocomotix'res com-1 prisingyin combination withaz cylinderaa'Vdistributing valve chest therefor and a main steam supply pipe leadingto said chest,ta I differential cylinder having a? differential o;piston adapted to operate thereing an auxiliary steam 1 supply pipeleading to saidw' differential cylinder, adelivery pipe coinmunicatingwith said differential 'cylinderi ands-aid distributing valve' -chest,"a valvel operated by said different i'al pston, said valve normallyclosingsaid-delivery pipe l c and thereby interrupting communicationbetween said auxiliary "steam supplypipe 1' i and said delivery pipe, a.pipe'connecting the'100.

larger end of said differential cylinder with" said distributing valve(chest, whereby said" diflerential piston will be actuated and saidvalveopen'edwheinthe pressureinsaid dis tributing; valve'ch'est falls below aprede- 105,

termined minimum, a speed-Walve in said last-mentioned connecting pipe,and means for opening said valveiwhen the speed of said locomotive isabove a predetermined minimum. i

In witness whereof, I' hereunto subscribe my name this 20th dayoffNoi'rember,A: D.

1915, v I a I a D ARD G BERDANi j

